In the Hour You've Known Me
by BabySealLover
Summary: In the hour she's known him, Belle realizes that Rumple hasn't changed as much as she first thought. But someone else reminds her that giving up was never part of the plan.


**Hi, everyone. BabySealLover here, with another one-shot for Rumple and Belle. I wrote one last week, too. Guess I've been feeling a little depressed about their relationship lately, so I've been writing sweet moments between them to make up for it. Anyway, if you like this one, please feel free to check out Light, my other Rumbelle short story.**

 **This one takes place during Broken, season 2 episode 1. They have some cute and sad scenes in this episode, but personally I was interested in filling in some of what we may have missed :) So I wrote this. It's mostly told from Belle's point of view, but we get a little bit of Rumple at the end. It's not super long... or even that good to be honest. I just wrote it in two hours last evening while I should have been studying for final exams. But oh well... back to studying later today, I guess.**

 **In any case, hope you enjoy. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.**

In the Hour You've Known Me

" _I thought you'd changed."_

" _What, in the hour you've known me?"_

His words still stung in Belle's ears and her chest as she made her way down the long street, tears blurring her vision. The strange-looking lights on poles flickered and the sharp winds blew her hair into her face. She turned and looked out into the distance. She couldn't see it, but she knew by the screeching and the damage already out on the streets that it wasn't far away. The monster Rumpelstiltskin brought to kill Regina.

Belle couldn't lie; she had no love or sympathy for the Queen after what she did. Locking her up in a tower as leverage to use whenever she wanted, and then sticking her in an asylum with no memories for 28 years. It was hardly a forgivable offense—but that didn't mean she wanted the Queen _dead._

That was where she and Rumple differed. She tried her best to be kind and understanding of others when she could, but Rumple was impatient, rash, and willing to destroy anyone who got in his way or hurt something important to him. He'd been this way ever since she met him, and perhaps she was foolish to think that he'd changed.

Because he was _right_. As much as it hurt her to admit it, what did she really know about him? After all this time?

An explosion erupted on the other side of town and Belle cringed at the noise. It was so powerful that it shook the ground, and in her fright, Belle stumbled off the street and into the first building she saw. Luckily, at least doors in this world worked similarly to how they did back home, even if nothing else looked familiar.

When she quickly shut the door behind her and righted herself, she glanced around and noticed some tables and chairs throughout the room, and a counter off to the right. There were a few people she didn't recognize hanging out in the back of the room, although with the lights out it was difficult to see properly. They all turned to look at her at the same time, but then momentarily went back to talking amongst themselves.

"Well, it looks like this place is turning into a popular hideout." An older woman with spectacles stood behind the counter. "Sorry to say I'm closed for the evening due to— _inclement weather_ —but you're welcome to wait out the storm if you'd like."

Hesitantly, Belle entered and stepped closer to the woman. "Oh—um—sorry for just barging in. I just…"

"You didn't want to get smashed by any flying objects," the woman said. "I got'cha." Then, pushing her spectacles up and squinting a little, she asked, "Do I know you?"

Suddenly a bit self-conscious, Belle smoothed her skirt and said, "No—no, I don't think so. I'm not…" Would it make sense, or even be appropriate to tell her that they'd never met because she'd spent her entire life in this town locked up by Regina? She wasn't sure she felt comfortable having to explain that to people yet.

"Come sit down," the lady said, pointing to a seat in front of the counter. Belle took a breath and walked over, sitting down gingerly across from the woman. "I'd offer you something to eat, but using electricity probably isn't the best idea right now."

 _Elect—what?_

"Um, no, that's all right," Belle said. "I'm fine, thank you."

"You got a name?"

"Oh—of course. I'm Belle."

The woman held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Belle. You can call me Granny." Belle smiled and took her hand, shaking it lightly. "Since I haven't seen you, I take it you've never been here before. During open hours, this is where you get breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day long. I serve a pretty mean hamburger, you know."

"Ham—burger?" Belle hesitated.

Granny paused, as if baffled that this girl wouldn't know what a hamburger was, but then said, "It's like—beef. On a bun. With pickles or lettuce or mustard or whatever you want to go with it."

"Oh," Belle murmured, pressing her lips together. "I've never had one."

Granny laughed. "Well, then we're gonna have to fix that one of these days. You'll be coming back here, I take it?"

Belle hadn't really given it much thought. "Oh, well, I imagine, since it's so close by…"

With a nod, Granny replied, "Hamburger. I recommend it."

"All right, then… I'll have to try it."

She wondered if Rumple had ever tried a hamburger before. She supposed she'd have to ask him, later.

 _Rumple._

While Belle and Granny continued their idol chat, Belle glanced out the window a few times, feeling increasingly guilty that she walked out on Rumple. As the wind blew and the lights continued to flicker outside, she wondered if he was still all right. If he was safe.

 _Well, of course he's safe. What could possibly hurt Rumple?_

Even so, worries plagued her mind while she tried her best to stay composed. Not only worries that something might happen to him, but also worries about what he might do when left alone.

But Granny wasn't fooled. "You're pretty fidgety. What's eating you?"

Belle laughed awkwardly. "Uh—nothing, I just…"

"Worried about someone?" Granny asked. "Is someone in danger out there?"

Shaking her head, Belle said, "No, I doubt it. I just—had a fight, I guess, with someone earlier. And I'm just a little worried about getting back to him and making sure he's okay."

"First day all of us are back and we have not only magic monsters, but personal drama to deal with?" Granny sighed. "It never ends. You need to talk about it? I mean, no pressure. I know we just met and all."

Belle shrugged. "No, it's just… I guess I made some premature assumptions. And he wasn't entirely honest with me about some things…"

"Well, you do kind of need honesty to make a relationship work. Speaking from experience, that is."

"Yeah, I know," Belle said, leaning her arm on the counter. Shaking her head lightly, she murmured, "We never really even had much of a chance starting out. And today when we found each other, somehow I thought things were going to be different—but suddenly I really do feel like I've only known him an hour! If that makes much sense."

"Nah, it makes perfect sense!" Granny said. "I mean, even I'm still confused about everything. All of us are out of our element suddenly—two lives in our heads—not knowing where we stand. It's scary stuff. I think it's hard to know the people around us when we don't even really know ourselves." Belle nodded slowly, looking away, until Granny added, "That doesn't mean we stop trying, of course."

Belle's eyes flickered back up, and she smiled a little. "So you're saying I shouldn't give up, yet."

Granny shrugged. "I'm not tellin' you to do anything. I'm just telling you what I know. You seem like a smart young lady. You do what you think is right."

A few minutes later the havoc stopped. Belle didn't know if that meant the beast had gotten its prey, or if it had been defeated, or what could possibly have happened, but she knew one thing. She had to go back to the shop and face Rumple again.

As soon as she knew for certain that the threat had passed, Belle kindly thanked Granny, who reminded her she had to come back for a meal next time, and hurried out of the diner. She headed down the disheveled, ripped apart street at a quickened pace, although looking upon the wreckage with regretful eyes, until she made it back to the shop. She took a deep breath before turning the handle and stepping inside. The lights were on, but Rumple wasn't in sight. She didn't call for him, instead venturing through the curtain into the back, where she found Rumple spinning at his wheel.

 _Despite looking more human on the outside, he really hasn't changed, has he?_

"Hi," she said softly to get his attention.

Rumple turned around and regarded her with mild surprise. His expression was vulnerable, something she still wasn't quite used to seeing. "Hey," he said, sounding a little breathless.

Belle entered the room slowly said with a nod, "So, I went for a long walk."

"I thought you didn't wanna see me."

She shrugged. "I didn't. But—I was worried."

Looking away, Rumple murmured, "Well, the beast is gone—and Regina lives." She could hardly miss the tinge of disappointment in his tone. Yet it faded into the background behind exhaustion, as if he didn't truly care enough to do anything more about it.

"So—you didn't get what you wanted?" Belle asked.

"Well, uh—that remains to be seen."

Belle planned on replying to him at first, but she stopped when a familiar object on Rumple's desk caught her eye. She couldn't help smiling a little as she moved toward the cup and carefully picked it up, noting the little chipped edge. All these years, he'd kept this insignificant little trinket?

She found herself laughing and tearing up at the same time while she held the cup between her fingers. "You still have it," she said. "My chipped cup."

When she glanced into his eyes, a part of her regretted the pain and loneliness she saw in them, even as he smiled back and nodded. Rumple stood up and gently took the cup from her hands. "There are many, many things in this shop. But this is the only thing I truly cherish."

Her heart ached as she looked down at the cup, and all at once realized and believed the whole truth. It came crashing down on her like a great wave on a stormy sea. Rumple loved her. Gods, he always had, even when he was too afraid to admit it. He loved her so much that he cherished a broken tea cup more than all the wonderful, magical items in his shop. She still remembered the day she chipped it, and he simply shrugged it off and told her it was "just a cup."

And yet, it was so much more. It was a symbol. A symbol that he was just as madly in love with her as she was with him. It took her breath away.

"And now you must leave."

She blinked as it all came crashing down in her mind. She still hadn't entirely processed what he said.

"Wait—what?"

"You must leave because," Rumple continued softly, "Despite what you hope—I'm still a monster."

After he finished, Belle's newly racing heart slowed and she relaxed, coming out of her initial few seconds of panic. Perhaps his words should have been a deterrent. Perhaps they should have scared her away. Maybe she would have been smarter to heed his warning and walk out the door of his shop and never return.

But instead, she smiled. And after releasing a small chuckle, Belle reached out and placed her hands on Rumple's shoulders, who regarded her with confusion. "But don't you see?" she whispered. "That's exactly the reason I have to stay."

Rumple's forehead creased at first, but then he met her gaze and smiled sadly. "Belle… I may never be the man you want me to be. I hope you know that."

"Oh, Rumple," she replied, placing a hand on the side of his face and pushing his hair back. "You already are that man. If you weren't, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you. We just—need a little work is all."

"Is that all?" Rumple asked, although there was a hint of irony in his tone.

"I learned a long time ago that when you find something worth fighting for, you don't give up," she said. "Meaning that I'm going to fight for you. For us. No matter what."

Rumple opened his mouth, as if to speak, but Belle went on, "Look, I know it may not be hearts and flowers and rainbows, all right? But if… if you're willing to try—then I am, too. Will you try for me?"

Rumple again looked a little bit like he did earlier today, when she could have sworn he was about to start crying. His dark eyes glimmered with unshed tears as he nodded and pulled Belle into his arms, letting out a sigh of defeat. "For you, I would do anything," he said softly as she smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Darling, I love you. I love you so, so much—and I should have told you every day from the moment I knew."

Belle laughed and squeezed him tightly while she stroked his hair. "Me too," she whispered, pulling back so she could gently kiss his lips.

* * *

A few hours later, Belle was curled up in bed next to Rumple in his home which was certainly not as big as the Dark Castle—but it did have its own set of mysteries Belle was interested to uncover. But for now, after such a long and trying day, Belle was content to lie silently next to her beloved and listen to the silence.

"Can't sleep?" Rumple asked after a while, gently running his fingers up and down her arm.

Belle sighed and rested her head on his chest so she could listen to the soft thumping of his heartbeat through the thin fabric of his night shirt. "Just thinking too much, I suppose."

"About?"

She shrugged one shoulder. "About how nice it is to be in an actual bed for a change."

That made him laugh a bit and he squeezed her shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "You won't want for anything again, I assure you."

With a tiny smile, Belle lifted her head and shimmied over to the side a little so she could look at him. In response, he turned so he was on his side and gave her a slightly puzzled look. She straightened out the skirt of her silky nightgown that Rumple found for her to wear and then reached over and entwined their fingers. "You can say the most romantic things when you want to, you know that?" she asked.

One corner of his mouth turned up in a slight gesture that made her heart flutter. "I've no idea what you're implying," he whispered in a very Rumple-like fashion.

She bit her lip to suppress a giggle and then carefully brushed his hair back off his face. "Anyway, the important thing is that we're together now, hm? I'm not wanting for anything. Not as long as that's true."

Rumple nodded slowly. "One step at a time, right?"

Belle nodded back. "One step at a time. And—taking our first ones toward the future—letting go of the past—I think that's a good place to start."

Rumple silently agreed and brushed his fingers against the soft, creamy skin on her cheek. She responded with a low sigh, letting her eyes fall shut. Rumple lay still, listening to her quiet breaths until, after a few moments, they finally grew even, and he knew she was asleep.

His heart broke repeatedly as he gazed upon his clever, gentle, breath-takingly beautiful love who, until today, he never thought he would have a chance to lie next to at night. He never thought he would be able to hold her in his arms, or even say, "I love you." But the fact was that she lived and breathed before him and she loved him, beast or not. In spite of everything he'd done—in spite of everything she had to know he would do in the future. Because he was Rumpelstiltskin, and whatever his intentions, he was forever cursed to make the wrong choices.

It was the price that came with being the Dark One.

He closed his eyes. _Letting go of the past._

He promised to give her anything. But no matter how deeply he loved his darling Belle, letting go of the past was something he feared he could never do. What else was there for a man who had repeatedly pushed away every chance he had at happiness? All magic comes with a price, and Rumple would pay it soon enough, as he always did.

But he would keep trying, because even if he truly was doomed to destroy everything he loved—he would latch on all the more tightly, until his very own existence was destroyed along with it.


End file.
